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A Wine of the Lord's Planting. 


Less than six years ago a vine was planted where had grown 
thorns and thistles and noxious weeds. Room was prepared 
for it, and He, who planted it, caused it to take deep root. It 
has been tended with carefulness; the pruning has not been 
spared; it has often been watered with tears. This vine has 
grown and flourished and brought forth some fruit, and to-day 
it promises further and continued increase. 

The history of the Mahoba Mission is a record of providen- 
tial leading, sometimes in ways we knew not of, often in paths 

- which mere human judgment would not have chosen, but al- 
ways in “right paths,” as the sequel has shown. It is a record 
of what God has wrought, and of some of the ways in which 
the Good Shepherd is still working to bring into His fold 
those other sheep who have so long been wandering away 
from Him, 

It was not the choice of your missionaries to locate so far 
rom our other mission points, for various reasons. Instead 
‘uf a special work we had planned, another has been given us 
to do, The larger opportunities and responsibilities, which 
are now so loudly demanding our acceptance, were scarcely 
sought. In all of this, do we see the wisdom of a plan beyond 
our own, and the guidance so earnestly sought, though not 
knowing whither it would lead. 

To-day, in the midst of heathen temples and _ shrines, 
stands “ God’s house,” as they have named it. Thirteen 
buildings testify to the liberality of Christian friends of this 
work in America, Ten of these, or the most important part, our 
Junior Builders have had in that work. Here seven widows, 
and not far from five score of girls, have found a home and love, 
charity and patience to bear with their imperfections of char- 
acter and help them on to better things. Besides these, during 
the terrible famine of 96 and ’97, several hundred other chil- 
dren passed through this gateway to other Christian homes. 
Many of these have become Christians, and are now daily 
praying, that the people in their villages, too, may hear the 
gospel and be saved. 


What shall we say of such an opportunity as this has been, 
to save these children not only from death by starvation, but 
to place them in an environment, where they will have a 
chance for life, present and eternal, such as otherwise would 
never have opened to them? Surely this is of God, whose 
praise these little ones are singing to day. 

Without an exception, all of our girls, who have come to 
years of understanding, have already confessed faith in Jesus 
and taken Him as the guide of their lives. With them to 
hear is to believe, to believe is to obey. Where has the gath- 
ering in, more speedily followed the sowing of the seed? Much 
of patient teaching will be needed before they attain to per- 
fection in Christian character. Through he training of these 
children we are, in an especial sense, working for India’s to- 
morrow. These boys and girls, whose lives are being directed 
into right channels and broadened and enriched, will, it is 
hoped, go forth to enrich and bless other lives. In this way 
the work once begun becomes self-perpetusting. There is 
every reason to hope that through the children that have 
been brought under Christian influence, by means of India’s 
recent calamities, plague and famine, God’s purposes of grace 
shall yet be revealed, and we shall come to know that not 
willingly, but to work out a higher good, these appalling 
afflictions have been permitted. 

While the Orphanage and school-work has been most prom- 
inent at Mahoba, it by no means represents all that has been 
or is being done. Beside this, there has been, so far as was 
possible with our limited force, all the usual routine of work 
such as is carried on in all Mission Stations, notably the 
constant preaching of the gospel in the town and surrounding 
villages. Many who hear, assent- to the truth spoken. Some 
have cast away their idols, but they are not ready to suffer the 
consequences which a public acceptance of the new faith would 
involve. An evidence that the enemies of the truth are dis- 
turbed is found in the revival of a religious mela or festival, 
with a spectacular flag, representing the very questionable ex- 
ploits of some of the Hindu gods. These are set forth as the 


gods men ought to worship, rather than the unseen, unknown 
God of the strangers. 


A new idea has been introduced among these people of an 
alien faith, with a practical demonstration of its import. It 
is the idea of sacrifice for love’s sake without expectation 
of reward for merit. To feed the hungry and clothe the 
naked ; to minister to the sick and sorrowing; to seek relief 
for the oppressed; to lavish upon others, not our own, time, 
strength, money, love—everything one may have to give. 
Such service as this has afforded a demonstration of the real 
spirit of Christianity and given your missionaries an influence 
that no amount of mere preaching could have secured. 

And this brings me to my message, which is not of past sue- 
cess or achievement, but rather of still larger opportunities 
which are opening up, compared with which, what has already 
been done, is the merest beginning. 

Hamirpur, in which Mahoba is situated, is one of the south- 
ern districts of the Northwest Provinces. The surface of the 
country is diversified by ranges of picturesque hills, some of 
them crowned with ruined palaces or fortresses, dating back 
to feudal times. Between these hills are fertile, well-cultivat- 
ed valleys. These valleys are dotted with villages, numbering 
_, not less than 764 in the district, whose whole population is more 
than 513,000. Of this number, 480,000 are Hindus and idola- 
ters; the greater part of the remainder are Mohammedans. 
When the last census was taken there were only 50 Christians 
in the district, and that meager number included every Euro- 
pean man, woman and child, irrespective of age or character. 
These Europeans are the English officials at Hamipur, the civil 
headquarters of the district and the railway employes at Ma- 
hoba station and their families. The next census wil see the 
number of Christians considerably more than doubled, and the 
increase will be of those, who, in honest and good hearts, having 
received the good seed of the Kingdom of God, are following 
on, that they may apprehend that for which they have been 
apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

I would bring to you to-day these five hundred and thirteen 
thousand Christless souls. What is our duty towards these un- 
saved multitudes? By every blessing Christ has brought us, 
are we not their debtors, and ought we not, as far as in us is, 


to preach the Gospel to every creature, and give to them the 
knowledge of the redemption that has been purchased for 
them ? 

By every principle of mission comity this district is ours to 
evangelize. I speak from deep conviction when I express the 
belief that when your missionaries entered Mahoba early in 
1895 the Disciples of Christ became virtually responsible for the 
evangelizaticn of the people of Hamirpur. The field is prac- 
tically ours. We are able to possess it. Let the message read, 
“Opportunity, ability, RESPONSIBILITY,” and may God make it 

lain, 

; The next six months should see a beginning made in two 
centers in this district, with a view to permanent occupation. 
A married missionary should locate at Mahoba for the evan- 
gelistic work in and around that station. Six new mission- 
aries for Hamirpur is the least for which to ask. It is un- 
derstood that men and women are available. They are ready 
to go down into the mine, but the shafts must be sunk and 
afterwards the ropes must be steadily, faithfully held. Men 
and women are ready to venture their all, to give themselves. | 
Are there not some, to whom much of the King’s treasure \_ 
has been committed, who will from that treasure supply the > 
money needed for this enterprise? Against two consecrated hu- 
man lives will not some of the Lord’s stewards place $5,000, 
that work in those three centers may be commenced at once, 
and that without sacrificing other important interests? 

Not to the disparagement of any other claim would I plead 
for Hamirpur. There are other calls that ought to be heeded. 
Doors are opening on every side. It is becoming plain that 
India needs, and will demand, an undenominational Christian- 
ity, and who other than the Disciples of Christ will, or can, 
meet this demand? The number of our mission stations could 
easily be doubled this year if the money to do it were in hand. 

“The gold and the silver are Mine,” saith the Lord. 

“‘Lovest thou Me more than these?” , 

Buffalo, N. Y. Mary GRAYBIEL. 


Published by the Christian Woman’s Board of Missions, 152 East 
Market St., Indianapolis, Ind., November, 1900. One cent each, five 
cents per dozen. 


